DI Basketball Scheduling

[bincitysioux]

UND readies for a scheduling scramble

Sioux coaches expect they will be playing a majority of their games on the road. But they still must find games for the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

The most likely strategy to get home games will be to offer to play two road games against a school in return for one home game.

"Obviously there's not going to be a lot of people interested in making a trek up to Grand Forks," Jones said. "We have to be creative. Maybe two (road games) for one (home game), or even three (road games) for one (home game) to get them in our gym.

And Jones, who comes to UND after spending the last seven seasons as an assistant at the University of Iowa under Steve Alford, has plenty of Division I contacts. So, will Jones use those connections in the scheduling efforts?

"No question. Through the years I have established relationships with guys who have become head coaches or top assistants," Jones said. "I want to be able to get attractive opponents. I want to go into hostile environments that will help when it comes time for March."

[GeauxSioux]

This is really a story about what Jones has been doing so far, but it does touch on scheduling as well.

UND already has received calls from Division I coaches about possible games when the Sioux begin their transition to Division I. "But we still want a schedule that gives us a chance to win," Jones said.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/15122941.htm

[Hansel]

just a thought- but UC-Davis played a full conference schedule against their former DII conference foes their first year of DI (after the exploratory year).

http://ucdavisaggies.cstv.com/sports/m-bas...sched-2003.html

With RT as the NCC commish- I wonder if UND (and perhaps USD as well) will have a similar arrangement to help scheduling on both ends during UND's first year out of DII>

[bincitysioux]

just a thought- but UC-Davis played a full conference schedule against their former DII conference foes their first year of DI (after the exploratory year).

http://ucdavisaggies.cstv.com/sports/m-bas...sched-2003.html

With RT as the NCC commish- I wonder if UND (and perhaps USD as well) will have a similar arrangement to help scheduling on both ends during UND's first year out of DII>

That would certainly be nice. But since it is looking more and more everyday like UND's decision to jump to DI is possibly going to be what ultimately causes RT to lose his job as a commissioner of an athletic conference I won't hold my breath. I don't see him doing any favors for Mr. Buning.